Confetti Falls
by Subtle Nuance
Summary: It's New Year's Eve in Time's Square for the BAU, and kissing Hotch is Spencer Reid's New Year's resolution.


**Author's Note:** Just a fluffy little piece for New Years. Happy 2013, everyone.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters, this didn't happen, and I make no money from it.

* * *

"It's way too crowded here," Spencer says, looking around dubiously. He was shivering in his pea coat, having been vastly unprepared for December in New York City.

"Reid, come on, it's not that bad," Morgan replies, "We all wanted to see the ball drop this year, and what better place to do it then in Times Square?"

Luckily (or unluckily, if you ask Spencer) the team had been sent to New York City for their last case of 2012, a series of arsons being set by a firefighter for the FDNY. An Angel of Death, more of a routine case than they usually saw. It had been solved quickly without much preamble, and the team had been left to their devices on the last day in December before the New Year. Naturally, they had made an executive decision to stay and watch the ball drop in Times Square before taking off for Quantico the next day.

"We could have watched it on television in that last bar," Reid says, "Instead of being stuck out here in the cold with all of these drunken idiots."

"Spence, where's your sense of adventure?" JJ chimes in, wrapped in a puffy coat with a white knitted cap covering her blonde hair. Her nose is bright red from the chilly air, but after having had two Long Island Iced Teas at the bar, she isn't noticing the cold. Reaching out, JJ pats Reid on the arm, nearly stumbling over in the process.

"You are all drunk," Reid accuses, looking around at the rest of his team members. Morgan is hanging onto Garcia, who is trying her best to stake claim over him for her New Year's kiss. JJ and Prentiss are huddled together, laughing and chatting with strangers, no doubt making the best of the situation, and Rossi was doing his best to get Emily's attention – no doubt for his own shot at a New Year's kiss.

Hotch however, stands away from them, face solemn as he holds on tightly to a mug of hot chocolate. He hadn't done much drinking at the last bar; instead he had decided to keep an eye on his team while they got drunk and had a good time. It was so like him.

Reid wraps his purple scarf over his mouth and nose and totters over towards Hotch, the only other sane member of the team.

It's five minutes to midnight, and the whole of Time's Square is counting down.

"Hotch!" Reid calls, trying to get his attention.

The older man smiles at him, and waves him over with a gloved hand. "Are you having fun, Reid?" He asks, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips.

Reid grins. "You know I'm not having a good time," he says, "cold and crowds and drunken team members aren't really my thing." He stumbles forward a bit as he says this, nearly knocking Hotch over with him.

"Right," Aaron says, a small smirk playing at the corner of his lips, "because you aren't just as drunk as the rest of them." His words are mocking, and Reid realizes Hotch is trying to be playful. Something that is so unlike him.

Everyone around them is in good cheer, wearing 2013 masks and waving streamers. Some have even brought their drinks over, and everyone is staring up at the ball that will drop in only a few moments. Everyone is looking for their New Year's kiss.

Turning his attention back to Hotch, Reid grins. "I may have had a few drinks, yes," he says, his voice slurring a bit, "but still, we could be nice and warm in the bar if it weren't for _them_," Reid gestures wildly towards the rest of the team.

Soon, everyone is counting down.

_Five…_

"So, where're you getting your New Year's kiss?" Reid asks, laughter in his voice.

_Four…_

"I don't do New Year's kisses," Hotch says, bemused as he looks up at Reid. Drunken Reid is a lot different than the Reid he knows at the BAU.

_Three…_

"What about you?" Hotch asks, "going to go vie for JJ's attention?" It's said in jest; everyone knows that Spencer Reid has been over JJ for many years.

_Two…_

Reid grins, turning to face Hotch with a twinkle in his eye. "Actually, I thought it might be you," he says, the liquid bravery settling in. He had wanted this all night. This is the New Year's kiss that Reid wants more than anything.

Hotch observes him curiously, still clutching tight to his mug and wondering exactly how much Reid had had to drink earlier.

_One…_

The ball is dropping, confetti is falling, and before Reid can lose his nerve he reaches long arms out to wrap around Hotch's neck, before pressing his lips to the other man's.

Hotch nearly drops his mug of cocoa, but he has confetti in his hair, and everyone is shouting, and the press of Reid's lips against his is surprisingly…_welcome._

He can taste the brandy on Reid's breath as they kiss, and Hotch tangles his fingers in Reid's hair. The kiss is breathless, nervous, but perfect and Hotch wonders why it has taken him this long to kiss Reid.

_Happy New Year!_

The crowd is shouting and blowing kazoos, and as Reid pulls away from the kiss and sees Hotch's face, he knows this is going to be the start of a very good year.


End file.
